
‘Livestock has been kept in better conditions’: Authorities describe Vinton County home where 16 children were rescued
VINTON COUNTY, Ohio. (WSAZ) - The Vinton County Sheriff’s Office has released new information about a child neglect case in Vinton County Wednesday afternoon.
Officials say at approximately 10 a.m. Tuesday, law enforcement performed court-authorized search warrants on Ohmer Street in Hamden as part of an ongoing investigation involving allegations of domestic abuse and child neglect.
During the search warrants, investigators say they found 16 children inside the residence, who Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson said “looked like almost feral animals.”
“In what I’ve seen up to this point, I think if they would have waited another 24 hours, there was a very high probability that we’d be dealing with a death or multiple deaths of these children,” Wilson said Wednesday.
Authorities say the children were kept in an area measuring approximately 12 feet by 12 feet.
Gary Siders Sr., Gary Siders Jr., Elizabeth Siders, and Christina Siders were arraigned in the Vinton County Court of Common Pleas at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday.
Each is charged with 16 second-degree felony counts of endangering children and are each being held on a $300,000 bond. All four pled not guilty in an arraignment Wednesday morning.
The sheriff’s office says the 16 children were removed and are in temporary custody of the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services.
The children were initially taken to local hospitals for evaluation, officials say.
Officials say some of the children were treated and released, while others were taken to elevated medical care and remain hospitalized in serious condition, including one who was in the ICU.
Wilson said that in his long career, it was one of the worst scenes he had ever witnessed.
“It really looked third world,” Wilson said Wednesday. “It’s the type of thing that we’re not used to seeing here in America.”
“Most of our livestock was kept in better conditions than the children,” Vinton County Sheriff Ryan Cain said Wednesday. “It was extremely high presence, I’m sure, of bacterial and human feces. It was just a disgusting scene.”
Officials say the investigation has progressed, they have learned that members of the Siders family have lived in multiple Ohio counties since 2008.
Investigators say they believe the family largely avoided establishing medical and other government records during that time.
“The conditions these children lived in were horrific, and we are sickened by it. Fortunately, this tragic chapter has closed, but their recovery will take time,” Vinton County Sheriff Ryan Cain said in a statement. “Our investigators will continue following the evidence wherever it leads.”
Officials also said it was unclear whether the children recieved any education. The superintendent of Vinton County Local Schools told WSAZ there were no records of the family at the school. The superintendent of the Gallia County Local Schools told WSAZ they did see records from 2021 that indicated Gary Jr. and Elizabeth were parents at the school at the time.
At this time, investigators say they have found no evidence of any threat to the public and believe the case involves prolonged and extreme intrafamilial neglect and abuse.
The investigation remains ongoing and is being conducted by the Vinton County Sheriff’s Office and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the Hamden Fire Department, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and Jackson County Job and Family Services.
Officials say additional charges are expected to be brought by the Vinton County Prosecutor’s Office as more information is released.
Press Conference:
https://www.youtube.com/live/nnDCKyT73dg?si=hv72ARhO7D6UWdT0